The night of the Gala was nearly upon them, and Canterlot Castle was buzzing with excitement.

Celestia had been up all night making plans with her nocturnal sister, who in turn had been awake since the previous dawn.

The Sun Princess was enjoying a cup of coffee with two sugar-cubes. She had a lot on her mind, so she took her cup with her and stood on the balcony that connected her room and her sister's, looking out over the city below and the varied landscape beyond.

She kept the sun low, wanting to preserve the morning and hoping no-pony would notice.

Twilight will notice.

The princess's old apprentice had an eye for detail, which used to blind her to the bigger picture. Now she was a princess in her own right, living in her own castle situated in the bucolic little village of Ponyville.

Twilight apparently allowed the mayor to carry out the legislative duties, which was probably wise. After all, she was busy championing the cause of friendship with her loyal companions.

Celestia thought back to when Twilight first met her friends all those years ago; friends that ultimately wielded the Elements of Harmony and brought her own sister back from the abyss. She was ever grateful to them for that.

She decided to check in on Luna, who was sound asleep in her bed. When she was particularly exhausted, Luna sometimes reverted to her smaller, lighter form from when she had just been set free of the Nightmare.

Such was the case just then, as she lay in a confusion of limbs amongst scattered pillows and sheets. Though she didn't talk about it often, Celestia knew that her sister often slept fitfully, her dreams plagued by the memories of Nightmare Moon.

Yet as Celestia looked on, the younger princess appeared peaceful.

Celestia had regrets about the way she treated Luna when they were growing up, and felt as though she had a hoof in driving her sister to her dark fate. Yet after the nightmare had been banished, Luna held no grudge, and Celestia loved her for that.

Her little sister looked so cute in her diminutive form that Celestia could hardly stand to be near her. With her coffee finished, she stepped back outside and lifted the sun, letting the day begin in earnest.

Most of the preparations for the Gala would be carried out by an army of eager pages. The invitations she had already sent herself. Luna would be in charge of greeting the guests, and Twilight would probably find a way to insert herself into an administrative role, despite technically being a guest herself.

She walked past the room in which her new apprentice was staying, noticing that the door was shut, which usually mean she was in. It was uncommon—perhaps unheard of—for a human to be in attendance at the Gala, and Celestia had no intention of letting curious guests pester the poor girl. Instead, she hoped to show her around the festivities herself, then retreat into the garden for the remainder of the evening.

Not wanting to catch the girl unaware, Celestia carried on, reviewing the list attending guests in her head. The delegates from Saddle Arabia, siblings Haakim and Amira, would be attending for the first time, which was as exciting as it was important. The Duke and Dutchess of Maretonia would also be there, representing Equestria’s newest territory.

Each year more and more guests of honor attended the Gala, for which she had Twilight to thank, except in the case of the girl.

Goldilocks.

That was the name the girl had decided on in the interim. It seemed a fitting name, given the color of her hair. Still, Celestia intended to discover her true name, along with the rest of her memories. She had a feeling that her arrival was no accident, and there was something important locked away in her head.

When Celestia was young, her teacher once showed her a gallery of mirrors, each connecting Equestria to another world.

Yet this girl did not come through a mirror; at least, not directly. The portal she came through suggested powerful magic; far more powerful than a short-range teleport, but not quite powerful enough to travel between worlds.

She thought it wise to consult Twilight regarding the matter, and was keen to introduce her to the girl besides. After all, there was no-pony by now that knew as much as she about friendship or magic, and the girl desperately needed both.

Celestia passed the bastion where she was fitted for her dress, along with the girl. It was practically tradition to wear a Carousel Boutique original to the Gala, and exposing the girl to one of the Elements of Harmony was sure to do some good. From what she could tell during the fitting, Rarity and Goldilocks were already fast on their way to becoming good friends.

Luna seemed to enjoy her company as well, having told Celestia about the banquet she held for the girl and the fantastic conversation they shared. Celestia was certain that Luna did most of the talking, but she was grateful to the girl for humoring her dear sister.

She had a good heart, and there was something else besides. The girl had a presence, one that seemed to command a certain authority. Her eyes were touched by wisdom, which still shone despite her missing memories. Now and then she spoke with almost regal articulation, and though somewhat concupiscent her eagerness was tempered with an incredible bashfulness that was both courtly and endearing.

At last Celestia arrived in the great hall, where the task of overseeing the pages occupied her until the evening. She settled into the rhythm of work, and throughout it all her mind drifted and touched on many things, but it always found its way back to the girl. There was still so much she didn’t know, but there was something very important about her.

Of that she was absolutely certain.

Author's Note

Thought I’d have Celestia provide some of her thoughts on how things are progressing, tying some stuff together and providing another perspective.